Search for Downed Afghan Plane Resumes

The search has resumed for a passenger plane that crashed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan early Monday.

Afghan government and NATO aircraft were circling near the Salang Pass in the Hindu Kush mountains Tuesday for a glimpse of the downed plane.

At least 43 people, including six foreigners and five crew members, were on board when the Pamir Airways plane crashed while on its way from the northern city of Kunduz to the capital, Kabul. It is not yet known if there are any survivors.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday bad weather, including snow, rain and fog, was hampering the search for victims of the crash.

A number of police and local residents have headed into the mountains to look for the plane, but officials say the rough terrain and heavy snow make searching on foot extremely difficult.

The British Embassy in Kabul says three British citizens were on board the missing airliner. U.S. officials say an American was also on the plane.

Privately-owned Pamir Airways began operations in 1995. The Afghan airline has daily domestic flights and also flies to Dubai. Pamir uses a Russian-made Antonov An-24 aircraft on its Kunduz-Kabul route.